Hayes was a fullback on McClymonds' varsity football team.[2][3][4] In 1957, he was honorable mention All-City at fullback.[5] In 1958, he was named second-team All-City at fullback.[6] He was mentored by head coach Earl Meneweather, who became the Oakland Athletic League's (OAL) first African American high school head football coach in 1957.[4][7][8] Meneweather had been an assistant coach at McClymonds in 1956.[8] Meneweather had played football at Humboldt State University (where Hayes would ulitmately attend college), and was the first person inducted into its Athletics Hall of Fame in 1955.[9] It has also been stated that Meneweather was the first black high school head football coach in California.[citation needed]
Hayes also played starting forward on McClymonds' 1959 championship basketball team that included, among others, future National Basketball Association star Paul Silas and future Major League Baseball player Aaron Pointer.[10][11][12][13][14] Hayes was honorable mention All-City that season; with the other four McClymonds' starters named first-team All-City.[15] McClymonds' basketball team was undefeated in the 1958–59 season, under coach Paul Harless, and won the Tournament of Champions title in March 1959.[16]
In the fall of 1959, Hayes entered Oakland City College (formerly Oakland Junior College), where he was a fullback on the football team for two seasons. Oakland City College was part of the Big Eight Conference.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25] He was the team's second leading rusher in 1959.[26] He was named to the first-team Big Eight Conference All-Star Team in 1960.[24] Hayes played forward and guard for Oakland City College’s basketball team during the team's 1959–60 and 1960–61 seasons.[27][28] He was one of the conference's top scorers in 1960.[29]
After playing two seasons of football at Oakland City College, Hayes later attended Humboldt State College. At Humboldt, as a junior, he became the left halfback on the school's football team in 1962, playing in the Far Western Conference. He also played defense and was the team's placekicker.[25][30] Hayes was expected to be one of Humboldt's leading football players in 1963 season, but he lost his scholarship eligibility and did not play another season at Humboldt.[31]
Hayes also was on Humboldt's basketball team, playing forward. He was the team's leading scorer, and considered its most outstanding player.[32][33][31] In a mid-December 1962 game against Southern Oregon, he had 25 points and 16 rebounds.[34] In March 1963, as a junior, he was selected as a first-team conference All-Star.[35] Hayes was also on Humboldt's track team, and set a school record in the shot put.[31]
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Hayes signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in early July 1963, after losing his scholarship at Humboldt. He was the first Humboldt player to sign an NFL contract.[36][31] He performed well in training camp, and by early August had surpassed running back Amos Bullocks as the backup to the Cowboy's rushing leader, Don Perkins.[37] In late August 1963, Hayes required left leg surgery to remove calcium deposits, and Cowboys' head coach Tom Landry expected that Hayes would miss the entire 1963 season.[31] Hayes did come back to appear in one game for the Cowboys that season.[38] He returned to the Cowboys' training camp in 1964, but was waived on August 30, 1964, one of the final two players that the Cowboys cut before the 1964 season.[39]
Denver Broncos (first stint)
He then signed with the Denver Broncos in 1964, but was released before the start of the season.
The Denver Broncos brought him back for their training camp in 1965[41] and surprised observers not just by making the team, but also starting in the same backfield with Cookie Gilchrist, finishing with 526 rushing yards (second on the team).
In 1966, although he was undersized for the position, he was moved to fullback after Gilchrist announced his retirement and led the team in rushing with 417 yards.[42]
On January 19, 1968, he was traded along with Goldie Sellers and a player to be named later to the Kansas City Chiefs, in exchange for a third (#75-Bob Vaughan) and fourth round (#102-Drake Garrett) draft choices.[43]
Kansas City Chiefs
Hayes was placed on the injured reserve list on October 31, 1968.[44] He became a starter at fullback in 1970 and kept that role four years, until being relegated back to a reserve role. He was waived on April 21, 1975.[45]
After retiring as a player, Hayes worked as a counselor for San Francisco Juvenile Hall.[46]
Wendell Hayes died on December 28, 2019, at the age of 79, in Oakland, California. He was survived by his wife of 54 years, Donna Hayes; daughter, Jacquetta Hayes; brother, the Reverend Joseph B. Hayes; and sister, Winnie Hayes.[46]
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